Calendar timepiece

ABSTRACT

A calendar timepiece, wherein a seven day calendar display having each day of the week arranged on a line with a plurality of calendar date representations arranged in several rows to form a lattice work, positioned in close proximity to said day calendar display. Also provided are a plurality of indicating members, adapted to be commonly driven by movement of the timepiece to advance a step each complete day.

United States Patent [191 Samara [11] 3,811,266 1451 May 21, 1974CALENDAR TIMEPIECE [75] Inventor: Hiroyoshi Samura, Tokyo, Japan [73]Assignee: Citizen-Watch Company Limited,

Tokyo, Japan 22 Filed t 1Apr.-23, 1973 211 A pl. No 353,366

' [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr.22, 1972 Japan 47-40721[52] A u.s.c1..; ..58/58 51 1, 'lnt. c1. G04b 19/24 [58] Field of Search58/4, 5, 58

[ 56] References Cited; A UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,276,198 10/1966Barbera ..58/4A 11/1971 Takagi 58/58 3,712,043

1/1973 Eggeretal 58/5 Primary ExaminerGeorg e H. Miller, Jr. Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Robert T. Tobin, Esq.

ABSTRACT A calendar timepiece, wherein a seven day calendar displayhaving each day of the week arranged on a line with a plurality ofcalendar date representations arranged in'several rows to form alatticework, positioned in close proximity to said day calendar display.

Also provided are a plurality of indicating members,"

adapted to be commonly driven by movement of the timepieceto advance astep each complete day. 1 f

r Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmzv m4 SHEET 2 BF 5 FIG. 3

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PATENTEUHAY 21 1914 3B 11; 266

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CALENDAR TIMEPIECE This invention relates to improvements in andrelating to a calendartimepiece.

Conventional calendar timepieces generally have .a

structure that foreveryday, the correspondingdate and day of the weekare displayed .through respective small viewingwindows,

If the person wearing the watch for instance, should desire to know Whatdate, is 1h ext1Sunday?;What day of the week is thetenthof this month?,it can only be determined by the individual calculating the-answer.

A universal calendar timepiece is also known wherein all the dates ofthe month aresta-tionarily arranged,whilea' week day calendar isprovided and adapted to be moved relative to thestationary monthlycalendar. However, even in suchcalendar timepieces,

the representation of the currentdate is shown only through a smallwindowandby use of a separatedrive These and further objectls, featuresand advantages of the invention will appear more apparent when thefollowing detailed descriptionof the invention is read by reference tothe accompanying drawings illustrative of several preferred. embodimentsof the invention.

IN THE DRAW-mos:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a watch embodying a first embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a second plan view of the timepiece shown in FIG. 1 with aportion thereof being shown in crosssection to illustrate some of theinternal working parts.

FIG. 3 isa cross-sectional, view taken substantially along a sectionlineIII III shown in FIG. 2.

F IG; 4 is a plan .view ofan indicator dial employed in the firstembodiment FIG. 5 is a plan view of a calendar dial employed in thefirst embodiment- FIG. 6 is a plan view of a watch embodying a secondembodiment of the invention.

FIG; 7is a perspective view of a clock embodying a third embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view ofanother clock embodying afourth'embodimentof' the invention. Now referring to FIGS. 1 5, numeralIrepresents a conventional watch case; 2 a time display dial at-- tachedto a conventional watch movement. The dial 2 is formed with asubstantially sector-shaped viewing window 2n and fitted with a weekdaycalendar representation 2b. representing SUNDAY", MONDAY" SATURDAY,displayed in their abbreviated form and placed alongside theinner orshorter peripheral curved side of the window, and-with a set of regularhour symbols 2c arranged on a circle concentric to and on the dial 2.

A conventional stem 3 is adapted for setting the time bymanipulationthereof in the conventional manner. 4, 5 and 6 represent 'a seconds, aminute and an hour hand, respectively. 7 represents a partial view of awatch band, detachably attached to the watch case.

A viewer can observe at a glance through the window 2a substantially ahalf part of a composite week day and date'calendar tableI8arepresenting two groups of successive thirty one date characters 1 31covering two odd months or send arranged in five concentric rows, asshown, each visible row including small seven successivedate-representing square or rectangular spaces of which, however,several may be blank without carrying figures. Thus, the part of thecomposite calendar table,8a visible through the viewing window 2aconstitutes only a partof the whole day calendar representation, as willbecome more apparent as the description proceeds.

A ring-shaped calendar dial 8 carries, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5,not only the first composite day calendar table 8a, but also a secondcomposite calendar table 8b of substantially similar design, yetcomprising two groups of date figures covering two even months or so andbeing arranged diametrally in opposition to the first composite calendartable. In fact, each concentric row of the table contains thirteen smalldate display spaces. It should be mentioned that each radial space ordivision of a concentric-row of either composite date calendar table 8a'or 81) corresponds to one of thirty five dotted lines. The number ofthese teeth 80 corresponds to the aforementioned thirty five datecalendar display divisions.

The data calendar 8 is rotatably guided by several positioning plates 12which are only schematically and partially shown in dotted line in FIG.3. These plates 12 are mounted in turn fixedly on a pillar plate 11 ofthe watch movement by means of several screw means or similarconventional, fastening means, although not shown only for convenience.

A conventional jumper spring, not shown, adapted for cooperation withthe teeth 8c is provided for accurately positioning the date calendardial 8 at each of the stepped positions. i

As most clearly seen from FIG. 1, each radial division of the daycalendar display 2b corresponds precisely to a radial division of thedata calendar tables 8a; 8b.

In FIG. 3, numeral 13 represents a conventional cannon pinion which iscoupled with a conventional cannon wheel 14. An indicator wheel 10comprises a gear part 10a having thirty five gear teeth. An indicatordisc 10b is fixedly attached to said gear part and is rotatably mountedon the wheel 14.

The indicator disc 10b shown specifically in FIG. 4 is made of atransparent material preferably plastic, and is'provided with fiveindicator sectionsltlc'; 10d; 10e; 10f and 10g, preferably colored.These sections, preferably projections, are staggered mutually andradially so as to have mutually difi'erent radial lengths correspondingrespectively to those of the five concentric rows of the calendar dialtables 8a; 8b, yet having a mutually constant peripheral angular space.Thus, the central angle, including two peripherally neighboringindicator sections, corresponds to US of a complete circle.

Numeral 15 represents an intermediate composite wheel, having a largergear part which meshes with the cannon wheel 14; and a smaller gear partwhich meshes with a date feed gear 16 to be described. Said wheel 15 isrotatably mounted on a pivot pin 11a which in turn is mounted rigidly onthe plate 11. In a similar way, the date feed gear 16 is rotatablymounted on a pivot pin 11b which in turn is mounted rigidly on the plate11. This gear l6has a studded feed pin 16a adapted for intermittentdrive of the larger gear part 10a. Motion will be transmitted fromcannon wheel 14 constituting a member of the conventional time-keepinggear train, not shown, of the watch movement, through the intermediatewheel 15 to the'date feed gear 16 so as to rotate the latter a completerevolution every 24 hours. Thus, the gear part 10a will be rotated acomplete revolution every 24 hours by means of the drive pin 16a. Thereis provided a jumper spring 17 shown in FIG. 2; the root portion thereofis fixedly mounted on the pillar plate 11, while the tip and actuatingend of the jumper l7 cooperates with the gear part 10a to assure astepped feeding position of the composite wheel 10 to bring a selectedone of the five indicator sections 10c 10g into correct registrationwith a proper date representation of either of the two calendar tables8a;-8b.*

Correction lever 18 is rotatably mounted on a pivot by engagement withone of the teeth 8c. Directly upon execution of the calendar feed, thepawl wheel a disengages from contact with correction lever wheel 18which thus becomes free and restores its neutral position shown, underthe influence of the resiliently acting positioning spring 19. Byrepeating this manipulating operation, the calendar ring 8 can besuccessively turned and rotatingly shifted for any occasionally requiredcalendar correction;

In contradistinction, when pawl wheel 20a is rotated in the opposite orclockwise direction in FIG. 2, so as to rotate the correction lever 18counter clockwise, the indicator wheel 10 is advanced by one step. Uponexecution of this movement, pawl wheel 20a disengages from contact withthe lever 18 which is thus returned to its neutral position again. Byrepeating this operation, the indicator disc 10b can be successivelycorrected until the desired date correction is realized.

The viewing window 2a has such opening dimensions so as to have acentral angle of 360/5 degrees, through which successive seven datesections of either date c al endar table 8a or 8b are always visible.

. Either calendar table 8a or 8b has thirteen date positions per eachconcentric row, as was already referred to and the date figures are soarranged that when the pin 11c which is rigidly mounted on the pillarplate 11.

This lever 18 is formed with a firstpawl 18a which is adapted forcooperation with the teeth 8c on the calendar disc 8; and a second pawl18b which is adapted for cooperation with gear part 10a of the indicatorwheel 10. The lever l8.is normally kept under the influence of anelongated resilient spring 19 havingits root portion fixedly attached topillar plate 11 as shown in FIG. 2, at its off-service position whereinboth pawls 18a; 18b are held out of contact with the teeth 86 and gear100, respectively.

Numeral 20 represents a correction transmitting compositewheelconsisting of a twin pawl wheel 20a and a gear 20b made integraltherewith and rotatably mounted on plate 11. For avoidance of.complexity of the drawing, the gear 20b has been shown as if it be aplain wheel. This will be applied to a correcting clutch wheel 21 whichmeshes with the gear 20b. Both pawls on the wheel 200 are adapted tocooperate with aprojecting part of the lever 18, as shown clearly inFIG. 2.

A second or auxiliary stem 90 is provided which is fitted with a crown 9and rotatably mounted on the plate 11, as in the case of the main stem3, although not 'spe-,

cifically shown because it is well known. For simplicity, the first ormain stem 3 is shown together with its crown without specificnotation. i

Stem 90 has a square-sectioned part 9b on which the clutch wheel 21 ismounted to slide axially. The clutch wheel rotates naturally in unisonwith the stem 9.

By .turning the second stem 90 manually, motion will be transmittedtherefrom through clutch wheel 21 and intermediate composite wheel 20,thereby the pawl wheel 20a is turned counter clockwise in FIG. 2, as anexample, depending upon the occasional turning direction of theauxiliary stem 9a.

200, lever wheel 18 will be turned clockwise in FIG. 2

.65 By the counter clockwise rotation of the pawl wheel calendar digit 1is brought into radial registration with any oneof week days of the daycalendar display 2b, all the data digits covering a complete odd or evenmonth arevisible through the viewing window 2a, in the similar way as awall calendar.

In succession to 31" or the final date of an odd month, there are fourdate digits 1 4" in a row in the case of the first calendar table 80,for the purpose of showing next months several dates when the final oddmonth day arrives. In the similar way, five date digits 1 5" aredemonstrated in a row in succession after 30" in the case of the secondcalendar table 8b, for the purpose of showing next months several dateswhen the final even month day arrives. The effect attainable with suchdigits arrangement will be described more fully hereinafter.

The operation of the first embodiment so far shown and described is asfollows:

It isnow assumed that the present month is an odd one and begins onTuesday, as shown by way of example in FIG. 1,

The operator manipulates the auxiliary crown 9 so as to turn its stem 9ain such direction that the pawl wheel 20a is rotated in counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2 for stepwise advancing rotation of thecalendar disc, or more precisely ring 8, until the first date digit 1 onthe uppermost row of the first date calendar table 8a is brought intoradial registration with the second day representation TUE. on thedisplay 2b.

When the present date is the first one of a month, pawl wheel 20a isturned clockwise in FIG. 2 by manipulation with the auxiliary crown 9,so as to shift the indicator wheel'l0 to bring the indicator section 10cinto registration with the date digit 1" of the insidemost row of thecalendar table 2a.

The date feed wheel 16 makes a complete revolution every 24 hours, beingdriven by the conventional timekeeping gear train, (not shown), of thewatch movement. Thereby the drive pin 16a moves the indicator wheel 10by just a tooth pitch per complete day. At arrival of the nextsucceeding day, the indicator section Similarly, at arrival of. thethirteenth calendar day of the same month, the next following, one-stepradially staggered indicator section We will appear at the viewingwindow so as to cover the thirteenth date digit 13 of the same month inthe third line of the table 8a.

At arrival of the twentieth calendar day of the same month, the nextfollowing, one-step radially further staggered indicator section 10fwill appear at the viewing window so as to cover the twentieth datedigit of the same month in the fourth line of the same table At arrivalof the twenty seventh calendar day of the same month, the next followingindicatorsection 10g will appear so as tocover the twenty seventh datedigit 27 in the fifth line ofthe table 8a.

At arrival of thethird day of the next month, the first indicator 100will appear from left at the viewing window and in the first orinnermostline of the calendar table 8a. At this time, the operator mustselect. either one of the calendar tables8a; 811, depending upon the oddor even nature of the practical month, and to bring the third day digit3 in the second row into radial registration with the day representationSUN." It will thus be seen that there is nonecessity to correct theindicator wheel 10 in its position, as long as the watch movementcontinues to operateregularly, which is a substantial advancement in theart. 1

I On account of the five row date digit system employed ofthis inventionat the calendar table 8a or 8b,

I a sixth digit'row would be. required to display 30; 31

or 30" thereinso as; to show these digits when the present monthshouldhavebegun with-FRIDAY or SATURDAY and the final day of the monthwil-lterminate at-20th or 30th.

For the adoption of the aforementioned five row digit calendar system sofar shown and described, these digits 30"; the have been placed onthefirst or innermost row of the calendar table 8a or 8b, respectively.By; adopting this measure, the date representations can be made ratherlarger for'a predetermined limited display area. On the other hand, thefirst indicator 100 will appear with the disappearance of the. lastindicator 10g and thus, there is no need for positional correction ofthe indicator wheel 10, aslong as the. watch movement continues tooperate regularly.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the secondembodiment of the invention will bedescribed in-detail. Here, how- 6 ever, the or similar constituentfpartof the calendar control mechanism as those used in the. foregoing firstembodiment have been shown by the respective same reference numerals,with the prefix 100 add thereto.

In this embodiment, the day calendar display 102b has been arrangedvertically, with day legends arranged horizontally. The substantiallysector-shaped viewing window 102a is formed at a convenient position inclose proximity to the hour symbol representing three oclock on theregular dial 102. The frist calendar table 108a is seen at the viewingwindow 102a, while the second calendar table 108b, not shown, is-hidden.The lattice work of each of these calendar tables has been shifted just90 degrees.

The digits appearing in each of the concentric rows of the calendartable increase gradually in their value in the clockwise direction.

. The viewing window may be provided in close proximity to any selectedtime display symbols of nine or twelve oclock, if occasiondesires it,although not specifically shown.

The indicators C, 1 10d; 110e, l l0fand 110g have been designed intocorresponding number of indicator hands of difi'e'rent lengths, althoughonly one of them has been shown at ll0e only partially and schematicallyin full lines, while the remainders have been shown in dotted lines.These hands may be provided by printing them on the front surface ofindicator 'disc of transparent material, although not specificallyshown. These indicators may have arrow portion as shown'and madeintegral therewith. The rotational direction of the indicator disc 110is naturally the opposite of that employed in the first embodiment. Theconstruction and operation of the indicator feed mechanism and thecorrection mechanisms for the date indicator and date representationsmay be substantially the same as before.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the viewing window 202 has beencut througha shell-shaped clock casing 201 and thus the calendar disccan be formed onto the peripheral cylindrical surface of ahollowcylinder, although not specifically shown. Several other partshave been shown with the respective same reference numerals as those inthe first embodiment, each having, however, the prefix 200 added.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the viewing window 302a hasbeen cut through the cone surface of a clock casing 301. The calendardisc has naturally been transformed into a cone, although notspecifically shown. I v

Although, in these third and fourth embodiments shown in FIGS. 7and 8,respectively, the inner working parts have not been shown, these may beeasily carried into effect without any inventive activities by anyperson skilled in the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an ,exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are as" follows:

1. In a calendar timepiece havinga viewing window on the face thereof,the improvement comprising:

a weekday calendar display, mounted adjacent the viewing window;

a plurality of monthly calendar date tables, each of said tablesarranged in five rows or seven dates each, rotatably mounted within saidtimepiece for positioning under said viewing window in alignmentwith-the weekday calendar display,

a plurality of indicating members, driven by the timepiece mechanism,each of said indicating members aligned with a different row of themonthly calendar tables and positioned to by driven by the timepiecemechanism to advance one date on the calendar table every 14 hours, saidindicating members also being positioned relative to each other so thateach indicating member advances sequentially across its respective rowin the viewing window prior to the advancement of any other indicatingmember on its row in the viewing window. 2. In a calendar timepiece inaccordance with claim 1 wherein there are two monthly calendar datetables arranged in a matrix of thirteen columns and five rows, saidvmatrix having the dates arranged in sequential order across each row,starting with the first day at the seventh column, said matricesrepeating in sequential order the integers representing the commencementof a new month after the last dates of the month in the fifth row andsaid matrixes also having the last days of the month in the first oneortwo' columns of the first viewing window of said timepiece indicatingthe day and date for an entire month and the beginning of the nextmonth.

3. In a calendar timepiece in accordance with claim 2 wherein the firstof said monthly calendar date tables represents a month of thirty-onedays and thesecond of said monthly calendar date tables represents amonth of thirty days.

4. In a calendar timepiece in accordance with claim 2 further comprisinga control means for changing the calendar matrix within the viewingwindow to align the proper date with the proper day of the week,andcontrol means to align an indicating member with a date on saidmatrix.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETEE Patent No. 3,811,266

Dated May 21, 197

Column line Column 5, line Column 6,

line

line

'line Column 7, line (SEAL) Attest:

line

line

line

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR, Attesting Officer Inventor(s) Hiroyoshi Samura It iscerti'fied that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

change "data" to date,

delete "the, the first occurrence, before or similar, insert same change"add" to added correct spelling of "frist" to m first after "has been"insert M rotatingly change "or" to of change "by" to be firstoccurrence,

change "matrixes to matrices Signed and sealed this 17th day ofSeptember 197 C. NARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents FORM r c-1050(10-69) USCOMM'DC 60376-P69 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I909036G334,

Patent No.

Dated May 21, 197

Column 5, line line Column 6, line I line line 'line 60,

line 6 Column 7, line 16,

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. Attesting Officer Inventor(s) Hiroyoshi Samura It iscertifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that saidLetters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

change "data" to date,

delete the, the first occurrence,

before "or similar, insert same change "add" to added correct spellingof "frist" to first after "has been" insert m rotatingly change "or" toof change "by" to be first occurrence,

change "matrixes" to matrices Signed and sealed this 17th day ofSeptember 197 C. NARSELRLL DANN Commissioner of Patents )RM Po-m so(10-69) USCOMM-DC GOING-P69 a 11.5. GOVERNMENT ramrmc OFFICE: I969oass-sa4.

1. In a calendar timepiece having a viewing window on the face thereof, the improvement comprising: a weekday calendar display, mounted adjacent the viewing window; a plurality of monthly calendar date tables, each of said tables arranged in five rows or seven dates each, rotatably mounted within said timepiece for positioning under said viewing window in alignment with the weekday calendar display, a plurality of indicating members, driven by the timepiece mechanism, each of said indicating members aligned with a different row of the monthly calendar tables and positioned to by driven by the timepiece mechanism to advance one date on the calendar table every 24 hours, said indicating members also being positioned relative to each other so that each indicating member advances sequentially across its respective row in the viewing window prior to the advancement of any other indicating member on its row in the viewing window.
 2. In a calendar timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are two monthly calendar date tables arranged in a matrix of thirteen columns and five rows, said matrix having the dates arranged in sequential order across each row, starting with the first day at the seventh column, said matrices repeating in sequential order the integers representing the commencement of a new month after the last dates of the month in the fifth row and said matrixes also having the last days of the month in the first one or two columns of the first row, whereby a monthly calendar appears within the viewing window of said timepiece indicating the day and date for an entire month and the beginning of the next month.
 3. In a calendar timepiece in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first of said monthly calendar date tables represents a month of thirty-one days and the second of said monthly calendar date tables represents a month of thirty days.
 4. In a calendar timepiece in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a control means for changing the calendar matrix within the viewing window to align the proper date with the proper day of the week, and control means to align an indicating member with a date on said matrix. 